We're off!

Pastor Steve Kern just prayed for us in the parking lot, the trunks and bags are all in the trailer (there are too many to count!), and we are on our way to Cleveland Hopkins. Tonight, at 9:00 we fly to Paris, where we will spend approximately 12 hours tomorrow, then get on an overnight flight to Bangui.

We will arrive there Saturday morning (around 4:00 local time-- remember, they are about six hours ahead of us).

The team wanted me to say "LET'S ROLL!"

For the cause of the beautiful Messiah we so dealy love.

Pastor Ivanildo Trindade

More than going back home

What does it mean to go back to Africa? Well, for me, it's very much like going back home. If you read one of the previous posts on this blog, you saw that I grew up in the C.A.R. I have great memories of my childhood there. And then God allowed Sue and I and our boys to spend eight years in ministry as well in the late '80s and early '90s.

Albert in Bata in 2002

But it's more than just going back to childhood stomping grounds. It's more about the people. One of those special people is Albert Moane. When we first arrived in the C.A.R. in 1968, I was scared stiff of the place. I had visions of being drug off into the jungle by apes, or that lions or snakes would do me in! These were brought to mind through TV episodes of "Tarzan" and "Daktari"! And if that was not enough, in my childish thought felt that if the animals didn't get me in, the Africans would. But within a few short days of our arrival there, Albert changed my childish thoughts of fear to feelings of acceptance and love. He would take me on his knee and show me how to make peanut butter. Or as cook for the dormitory, he would show me how to start the fire in the wood stove, or how to get the siphon started to filter the water that we would drink. I credit God’s hand through Albert for giving me the love for the people of Africa that I have today. God truly answered prayers through him. Although I will not be able to see Albert on this trip because God took him home to heaven this past June, I will be able to see his family and try to encourage them even through their loss. As Albert showed his love to me, I pray that I will be able to portray God’s love to his family on this trip.

What does it mean for our church to be involved once again in Africa? Well, we really haven’t had missions partnerships in the C.A.R. in a formal way since around 1996. Though there have been some trips back to the country, this will be the first time that we’ve been able to go back with the intention of seeing how God would like to use our church to meet some needs of the some of the poorest people in the world. The exciting thing is that not only will we have a chance to meet some physical needs through the possibilities of partnerships in the water wells and orphan care, but we’ll also be building on those foundations stones to enhance God’s work through the showing of the “Jesus” film & outreaches in areas of the country that lack consistent spiritual input.

So as has been said several times on this blog, please PRAY for our trip and especially for clear direction from the Lord as to our future role in the C.A.R.

Pastor Tom Peters

Our Trip Facilitator

If you ever saw Jim Hocking from a distance, you could mistake him for a country singer but never for an entrepreneur who is doing some creative work in the heart of poverty stricken Central African Republic.

Jim grew up in Africa and he knows the culture as few do. His heart is full of compassion for people who cannot help themselves. He has a big dream to see men and women clime one step at a time out of the despair of poverty they have been relegated to and in the process find the One who gives hope everlasting.

Jim found Integrated Community Development International a couple of years ago and since then he has not stopped advocating for compassion-based ministries among the poorest of the poor in that part of the world. He is involved with well drilling, agro-forestry, AIDS education, micro-enterprise and evangelism.

What I like the most about Jim's work is that he is committed to empowering Central Africans to do the work. Jim is a servant to the people of the CAR. His heart is full of love for them and his eyes often well up with tears as he talks about them. We are privileged to go to the CAR under the guidance of Jim and the ICDI team. We are excited about what the Lord might have in store for us in the future.

To find out more about the ministries of ICDI, click here.

Itinerary

I was going to apologize for not posting the itinerary on my last post, but I am 100% sure that nobody is reading this, so I will only apologize to myself. Here is the itinerary:

If you prefer a color map with a summary of the itinerary, click here.

August 31
---- Wooster Team leaves from Cleveland to Detroit to Paris
September 02
---- Wooster Team arrives in Bangui early AM
Breakfast --unpack --visit Mercy Care Center
September 03
---- Church Service in the AM Galabadja
PM Ivanildo preaches at English service
September 04
---- Visit pygmy village to the south
Orphan group in the PM
September 05
---- Leave for Falls and Yaloké
September 06
---- Yaloké to Bata – a few stops
September 07
---- Light plant install and water pump Repair for Bible Schools
September 08
---- Wooster team to Berberati
September 09
---- Wooster team visit to garage -PM Gamboula
September 10
---- Church ---visit Garden of Eden
PM return to Berberati
September 11
---- Drive to Bayanga
September 12
---- early visit to pygmy village
Return to Berberati
September 13
---- Noon depart for Bouar
September 14
---- Bouar- Meret – Bouar - install pump
September 15
---- Travel to Bangui - shop for curios
September 16
---- check luggage; Wooster Team departs PM to Paris, Detroit, Cleveland
September 17
---- Wooster Team arrives in Wooster PM

Thanks for praying!

Meet our team!

Pastor Tom Peters is the Minister of Cross-cultural Ministries at Wooster Grace Brethren Church. He grew up in the Central African Republic and spent several years there as a missionary with Grace Brethren Internationals Missions. He and his wife Sue have two sons who are both in college now. Pastor Tom speaks Sango (the trade language of the Central African Republic) and he has made many trips to the CAR. Pastor Tom is our language and culture teacher and he loves to make linguistic jokes and makes a perfect imitation of Donald Duck.

Tim and Jeana Harley are both graduates of Grace College in Winona Lake, IN, where they met. Jeana made one trip to the CAR during her college days. They have three children, who, though young, have been very involved with them in mission trips to Morelia, Mexico, where they go every year, to partner with a local church in reaching people for Christ and meeting some of their material needs. Tim works in the family business (well drilling and transportation) and Jeana is an image consultant. She will make sure we still look sharp after 12 hours cramped inside a little pickup truck in 100 degree weather!

Dave and Jana Slater have just celebrated the third anniversary of their coming to Christ. They have been involved with recovery efforts in Louisiana as well as ministries to under resourced people in Wooster. They have a tender heart for God and for people and are on a clear path to following God's leadership in their lives. Dave works as a chief buyer for Seaman Corporation and Jana is an MRI technician at Wooster Community Hospital. Dave brings a lot of organizational experience for this trip, but we suspect that it is Jana that is going to keep us eating the right stuff during the whole trip!

Pastor Ivanildo Trindade, the host of this site, was born and reared in Belem, Brazil. He likes to joke about the fact that he is the guy with the weird name and the nice tan. He is one of nine children to Eulalio and Jacira, who serve in Macapa, northern Brazil. His dad has been a pastor for over 40 years. Ivanildo is married to Naza and they have three children, two in college and one still living at home. Pastor Ivanildo is the Associate Pastor of Outreach Ministries at Wooster Grace Brethren Church, and though he speaks several languages, Sango is not one of them.

We are all eagerly anticipating being in the Central African Republic. We have been praying and planning this for months now and can't believe it is actually time to go.

Please, continue to pray for us and stay tuned.

Pastor Ivanildo Trindade

We are going to Africa!

Pictured (clock wise) front roll are: Jana Slater, Jeana Harley; back roll: Tom Peters, Tim Harley, Dave Slater and Ivanildo Trindade

A few months ago some of us were just carrying on with our lives when an event of catastrophic proportions occured. I am referring, of course, to Huricane Katrina. Since then we each have been involved in significant recovery efforts in Louisiana and Mississipi, through the work of our church, the Wooster Grace Brethren Church (www.woostergrace.org).

From Katrina, God has taken us on a journey beyond what we imagined and our next stop now is Bangui, Central African Republic (C.A.R.). We are being sent by our church as sort of modern-day spies a la Joshua and Caleb in the Old Testament. We desire, as a church, to make a difference for eternity in the lives of people who are extremely poor and suffering from diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

We are an advanced team to feel the heart of God in loco for those who are without hope in this world. During the next few weeks we will be posting some entries from the U.S. and (hopefully) from Africa. Our trip will take place from August 31 to September 17. For now, we ask you to pray for:

1. Hearts to be open to hear about Christ;
2. Wisdom for us to discern where God would have our church work in the future;
3. Safetey and joy as we travel many miles to and within the C.A.R.
4. Our families, who are staying behind.

In the next post you will learn more about each of our team members.

Pastor Ivanildo Trindade